Jon Gomm @ Mixing Tin
By Stu Hudson
9 Years ago I had the pleasure of seeing Adrian Legg performing in Manchester, a gig which changed my view of the acoustic guitar. 4 years ago I saw Jon Gomm for the first time and my mind was well and truly blown. There are some artists who take the acoustic guitar from being that thing which Noel Gallagher uses to strum out endless G, D, E minor chord progressions and turn it into a symphony orchestra, going beyond the confines of "writing a tune" and creating music. Michael Hedges, Tuck Andres, Preston Reed and the recently departed Eric Roche, all of these are a world apart from what Jo Public associates with acoustic music. How fortunate we are then, to have 3 of the emerging "Nucoustic" guitarists on one night, on one bill in little old Leeds.
But before I begin, if I may be so bold, I would like to make a request: if you want to have a chat with your mates, please save yourself five quid and stay at home, do not come down to a gig of this calibre and talk across the acts.
That said I am reassured by the hush that falls across the room as Michael Berk takes to the stage. Whether intentional or not, this is an inspired piece of programming as Michael is easily the most easy-going act tonight. If you have never dabbled in this world of the uber-acoustic then I can think of no better introduction, the melodies are simple and, with 3 cover versions in the set, recognisable. Michael Berk is essentially a very talented flamenco player, he even mentions part way through the set that he spent time in Salamanca. Perhaps he lacks the genuine spark of virtuosity displayed by the evening's other two contributors but he is, nonetheless, captivating to watch and sets the mood nicely for what is to come.
What does come is damn near indescribable. For the first minute or so of Amrit Sond's opening piece I wonder what the hell I have let myself in for, this is the very definition of atonality, yet somehow I cannot tear my eyes away. Amrit slams at the guitar like a dervish, animalistic yelps fly from his fingertips as he scrapes, slaps, pounds and occasionally plucks at the poor, helpless instrument. Then, after a short time, it dawns on me: this is music that has been "discovered", not learned like conventional performers, these are the sounds of nature being reproduced on an instrument with which almost everyone is familiar. This opening track, as it turns out, is the most off-the-wall piece that he will perform tonight, though the startling re-interpretation of musicality is ever-present. Amrit employs a wealth of techniques, including the fabled e-bow, and creates a set that is both captivating and thought provoking. The same awakening Adrian Legg gave me to the acoustic guitar, Amrit gives me to music in general - there is so much more than you had ever thought possible, a genuine musical epiphany.
It's time for the host. Tying together elements from both of the previous performances, the sweet melodies of Michael Berk with the explosive technique of Amrit Sond, yet with a massive injection of his own, unique style, there is very little I can say of Jon Gomm that hasn't been said before. Is he the best? It's not a competition, all I can say is that Leeds should feel very luck to have such a performer to call its own. As for Jon's set, he mixes old favourites ('Stupid Blues', 'Hey Child') with new, 'After Glow' and 'Temporary' and demonstrates that his song-writing ability is now as accomplished as his playing. The icing on the cake, however, is another new track, the mind-bending "Waterfall", an incendiary explosion of technique and melody, and even a bit of Urdu thrown in for good measure, nobody likes a smart arse.
There was a time when tonight's show would have depressed me, because despite my years of practice and obsessive dedication to the guitar I know I will never posses the raw ability of tonight's performers. Today however is a good day, it's good to know that there are those people out there who can deliver this sort of spectacle, and create this sort of atmosphere, and it's good to know that there are people who can appreciate it, and as I head out of the venue what strikes me is how very, very lucky I am to have seen what I have just seen.
